Wild West Relay

August 19-20, 2005

Fort Collins to Steamboat Springs, CO – 3 passes, 36 legs, 193 miles

Passes’ Fastest Asses

Paul, Amy, Zach, Yule, Jason, Ed, Alex

Melinda, Lieko, Julie, Jamie, Becky

The Wild West Relay was a running relay event involving teams of 12 runners (6 runners in the Ultra division), crossing three mountain passes (13,604 feet of ascent and 11,773 feet of descent) between Fort Collins and Steamboat Springs. Our team performed well, finishing in 28 hours and 34 minutes, good for 18^th place overall out of 60 teams. Information on this wonderful and hopefully annual event may be found at http://www.wildwestrelay.com. Thanks to Becky for organizing us and to my team for an amazing experience. Here are a few photos (click on for larger ones) from our adventure.

Yule, Mr. Steady, completing his first stage for “Van 1” (Alex, Yule, Amy, Julie, Jamie, Paul)	Amy on the open country roads north of Fort Collins	Julie checks her watch as she passes to Jamie. Like she really believed she would ever run 60 minute 10k’s…!	Jamie on the open road, with pants…you don’t want to know…	Grabbing some rest in Red Feather while “Van 1” waits for “Van 2”.
Strategizing in Red Feather Lakes with “Van 2” (Jason, Becky, Lieko, Zach, Melinda, Ed) while Ed completes 12^th leg.	Ed hands to Alex	Alex tackles first stretch of Deadman Hill	Yule’s turn for 90 minutes of climbing	Amy smiling (grimacing?) as she hands to Julie…must have been the downhill.
Julie “enjoys” 10.5 miles and a gratuitous Wyoming headwind in the Laramie River valley at dusk.	Our nemesis, the skirted “Started Stout; Ended Ale’n” teased us by staying just ahead for 2/3 of the race before smoking us by 45 minutes.	1636 feet of ascent just wasn’t enough for Jason on Medicine Bow pass, so he toughs out another 916 feet on the Rabbit Ears pass ascent.	Re-energizing with friends and volunteers while waiting for Ed at the finish.	Happy to be done, but Alex just can’t let go of that clipboard!